Running the black No. 78 car in recent weeks has been a dangerous proposition for Regan Smith, driver for the Denver-based Furniture Row Racing team. At Sonoma two weeks ago, Smith fractured his left wrist during a multi-car wreck on lap 67 of the 110-lap road course.

He bounced back last week for qualifying at New Hampshire to earn a starting spot at 18. Come race day Sunday, after his first pit on lap 40, Smith’s Chevrolet broke a right-front wheel. And later in the waning laps, the car broke it’s transmission. Smith finished 33rd.

But the races go on. Smith heads to Daytona this week for the Coke Zero 400 under the lights Saturday, one of the biggest remaining races on the Sprint Cup Series schedule before the Chase begins. Smith’s best career result was a 12th place finish last year — at the Daytona summer race.

Smith this year is running his first full stock car season on the big circuit. His 1,432 points, with $1,727,610 in earnings, has him currently in 30th place in the standings, one spot behind Sam Hornish Jr.

For questions, Smith is fair game. Has this first full season turned out tougher than he expected? Does the No. 78 Chevy have enough to put him into contention every week? What driver would he most like to beat every week? Is NASCAR competing with too many restrictions?